


Introspectre

by xdreamer45x



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: AU Danny, Canon Divergent AU, Haunted past, M/M, adult danny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:02:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28590711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xdreamer45x/pseuds/xdreamer45x
Summary: In which a conversation with Dan leads Danny to contemplate his love life (Haunted Past/AU)
Relationships: Danny Fenton/Dan Phantom
Kudos: 17





	Introspectre

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t written anything for quite some time and I recently discovered that I REALLY like using my MacBook for writing, so I decided to jump back in to the fanfic scene and wrote this up just for fun :P This is the first time I’ve written anything for Danny Phantom (that isn’t cringey old middle-school era fanfics I wrote in a spiral notebook lmao XD)
> 
> This is a Haunted Past (Dan/Danny) fic, so if that’s not your thing, then please click away ^^; The ship here specifically involves my au version of adult Danny cuz when am I ever canon compliant lmao XDD As a side note, I incorporated some lore from my days of rping as my sassy bastard child cuz it fits with his story/character progression, but of course it’s been edited/changed around to fit into the narrative X3
> 
> Danny’s outfit I describe in the beginning, as well as the apprentice outfit I mention later can be seen in the links provided below
> 
> Fun fact: The title is a mashup of “introspection” and “spectre” (although I use the alternate spelling “specter” in here lol). It’s a song title from Depeche Mode cuz I am unoriginal and titles are hard XD
> 
> ~~~

Outfit visuals: regular [[x](https://xdreamer45x.tumblr.com/post/636201190548488192/i-had-mentioned-in-a-previous-post-that-my-au)]; apprentice (bottom left in set) [[x](https://xdreamer45x.tumblr.com/post/635640673037582336/dear-lord-these-took-way-longer-than-i-wanted-to)]

Read on tumblr [[x](https://xdreamer45x.tumblr.com/post/639562844404383744/i-havent-written-anything-for-quite-some-time-and)]

* * *

Dusk slowly began to descend over Amity Park, the sky ever so subtly shifting colors as the sun gradually set on the horizon. Sprawled out on a grassy hill beneath a lone tree in the city’s public park was Amity’s most famous ghost boy, Danny Phantom, partaking in some well-deserved downtime. He wasn’t so much a _boy_ anymore, per se, he had certainly grown over the past decade, blossoming into a handsome young man in his mid-twenties.

With the changes to his body also came changes to his suit; he had acquired something of a wardrobe over the years to satiate his ever changing tastes in fashion, the specter currently donning what he deemed as his regular ghost-fighting outfit. A black, form-fitting version of what resembled a sleeveless gi trimmed with white hugged his torso, the lower portion splitting at the sides of his hips right at the belt line and hanging over his form as a sort of split skirt. His iconic “Phantom” logo was emblazoned over the left breast on the front, another covering the full expanse of his shoulder blades on the back. Beneath the gi top was a short-sleeved, skin tight turtleneck tee with matching leggings in black, and covering his arms and legs were tube gloves and boots in the same color, bearing the same white trim as his top layer. The gloves reached a little more than halfway up his forearms, while the boots— accented with white soles and toe tips, stopped just shy of his knees. The only piece that remained ever present in his shifting wardrobe was a black headband, affixed with a metal plate emblazoned with his logo that he’d had since he was a teen, tied to cover the crown of his head. Honestly, it was more of just an accessory than an actually functioning headband, considering the way he insisted on wearing it. It did hardly anything to keep his hair out of his face, but he liked how it looked, and it _did_ manage to deflect the occasional stray beam or two shot at him during battle.

Luminescent eyes, having shifted from toxic green to a vibrant shade of magenta sometime during his senior year in high school, gazed serenely up at the wispy clouds drifting leisurely across the colorful canvas overhead. Danny’s arms rested to cushion the back of his head while he took in a breath he didn’t necessarily _need_ as a ghost, exhaling a content sigh as he let himself sink further into the grass, immersing himself in the calm silence surrounding him.

The peace was soon shattered by the familiar _whoosh_ of a certain ghost manifesting right beside him. The Master of Time appeared before Danny, unceremoniously dropping the bulky form of Dan Phantom on the grass next to the halfa. _“Take him,”_ Clockwork all but demanded, exasperation evident in his tone. “He’s been pestering me nonstop since you left, I need a break.” 

Danny’s brows furrowed, regarding his mentor quizzically as he sat up. “You sure letting him out of the lair is the best idea?” 

“He won’t be able to stray far from you, I can assure you.”

“It’s five feet,” Dan interjected to clarify the restrictions placed upon him, sitting up to compose himself after being so _rudely_ manhandled by the ancient ghost, idly brushing some of the dirt off of his suit. “However, I don’t intend to go that far anyway,” he shifted his gaze to meet Danny’s, sidling up closer to the younger phantom with coyness playing across his lips and dancing in his half-lidded eyes, “so I suggest you get cozy~” 

_“Lovely.”_ Danny snarked back in response with a roll of luminous hues, but the smile tugging at his lips and him making no move to scoot away indicated his statement held no malice. “We’ll see you later, Clockwork.”

The Master of Time didn’t waste a moment longer lingering with the other two specters, disappearing in a flash to finally enjoy a moment’s peace back in his lair. With the pair of phantoms now alone in their little spot in the park, Dan eased himself to lie back against the grass, one arm resting behind his head while the other motioned for Danny to cozy up beside him, his flirtatious little smirk still in place upon his features. Danny snorted with another eyeroll, but decided to humor the other ghost and complied to his request. The halfa let himself lie against Dan’s broad chest, shifting to rest his head comfortably against the larger ghost before settling down, a strong arm wrapping around him immediately after. Danny was content to listen to the steady thrum of Dan’s core for a few quiet moments before speaking up. “We can’t stay out here for too long,” he said, “I have to leave soon for a date tonight.”

Dan snorted. “A _date?”_ he regarded incredulously with a disbelieving smirk. “With who?”

“Fenton,” Danny replied, a hint of annoyance touching upon his inflection at Dan’s reaction.

“You can’t be serious,” the larger phantom shot back, his mirth growing at the opportunity to tease his companion. “There’s _HOW_ many boys in this town to choose from, and _you’re_ interested in an alternate timeline version of yourself.” Dan barked out a laugh. “God, you’re pathetic.”

Danny sat up with a snicker and shoved at Dan playfully, “You shut your dumb ass up, you have no room to talk.” The two of them chortled together gently for a moment, Dan lacking a witty retort to follow up with. They soon lapsed into a comfortable silence, Danny settling back against Dan and curling up by his core once more. The soft, continuous hum led Danny to slowly begin drifting off, the meandering clouds forgotten to him while Dan continued to watch them, seemingly lost in thought.

Dan soon broke silence not long after. “You’re not going out with him,” he stated, his tone serious as a small frown tugged at his lips.

That brought Danny back to awareness. He sat back up to look at Dan, quirking a brow. “Excuse me?”

“Did I fucking stutter?” Dan mirrored his expression.

“You’re not my fucking mom, I’ll go out with whoever I want.” 

“I’ve seen how he treats you,” Dan started.

Amusement lit up in Danny’s magenta eyes, a devilish smirk overtaking his features. “I’m sorry, is that _JEALOUSY_ I’m hearing?” Laughter began to bubble up in his chest.

Dan released a chuckle to join in with Danny’s mirth, flicking his gaze away for a split second while he tried to save face. “Yeah, _I’m_ the only one who’s allowed to make you cry like a little bitch. Not about to let some scrawny fuck steal my job.”

“Oh, how _thoughtful,”_ Danny snarked back with a dramatic roll of his eyes, the smile on his face still present as he gave Dan a light punch in the shoulder. The two of them engaged in another bout of giggles, a hand shooting out to hold fast to Danny’s arm when the younger ghost began to move away.

“You’re still not going, by the way.”

“Dan, come on,” Danny sighed in irritation, but the other specter refused to let up.

“No.” Dan pulled Danny back down to lie with him, trapping him in his embrace. “You’re staying here.”

“What the hell is your damage, dude?” The halfa squirmed to wriggle himself out of the other ghost’s grip, but to no avail. “Why are you getting so bent out of shape over this?”

Dan gritted his teeth, jaw set in a hard line as his lip curled to reveal a glint of his fangs, his posture stiffening. “I don’t like how that _brat_ is constantly upsetting you whenever you go running off with him somewhere. Why do you keep going back to him? All he does is hurt you.” 

“He’s— It’s—” Danny floundered for a retort. Why _did_ he keep running back to Fenton? They had been dating— at least that was what Danny _assumed_ they had been doing— since they were teenagers, ever since their timelines had crossed one fateful day. Their relationship was... _rocky,_ to say the least, they didn’t see each other as often as Danny would’ve liked, even after he had started apprenticing under Clockwork so that he _could_ see the other boy more often. Clockwork had politely yet sternly refused to be chauffeur to a cross-timeline teen romance, but offered to train Danny so that he could visit Fenton on his own terms. Trying to date across timelines, however, definitely seemed to put a strain on things, and even after the first time he had found out Fenton had been cheating on him with his timeline’s version of Sam, Danny _still_ stuck around. Why had he chosen to stay? Was he desperate? Worried that he’d never meet anyone that made him feel the way Fenton did? Too stubborn to move on and finally let Fenton go for good? He had tried dating a few people from his own timeline, but none of them had seemed to spark with him the same way Fenton had; was that why he had chosen to stay despite all the heartbreak and frustration the other boy put him through?

“It’s... _complicated,”_ Danny admitted finally. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“I will literally kill him for you. Just say the word and I’ll do it.”

“Dan, don’t,” Danny sighed out wearily, affixing the older ghost with an unamused glare. “Look— I need to get going soon so that I’m not late.”

Dan refused to budge. “You’re not leaving.”

“Dan, _please—”_ The longer their argument went on, the more aggravated Danny felt himself becoming. “Just let me do this, it’d be rude of me not to go, especially since I haven’t seen him in awhile.” His reasoning didn’t have Dan convinced in the slightest. “Look, if you let me go on this date tonight, I’ll— fuck, I dunno— I’ll get you ice cream or something and we’ll watch a movie or whatever, cuz _clearly_ you’re buttsore that someone other than you is getting my attention this fine evening, but I’ll make it up to you. Deal?”

Dan frowned deeply, still unwilling to relinquish Danny to that little _wretch_ he insisted on continuing to date. However, the sky was darkening and the stars were beginning to shine through, which would only make Danny even more adamant about leaving, and quite honestly? Dan wasn’t particularly in the mood to be punted clear across the park— despite his proximity restrictions— by a pissed off and, while he’d never _willingly_ admit it aloud, much more powerful ghost than he was.

“Fine. _Deal.”_ the older specter gritted out, spitting the last word with such disdain, it sounded as if it actually physically _pained_ him to concede to Danny’s compromise.

“Good. Now let go of me, I still need to drop you off back at Clockwork’s before I head out.”

Dan had made sure to make his irritation apparent to the other phantom, releasing him deliberately with a melodramatic sigh of vexation and an aggravated scowl firmly affixed to his features. Danny merely shook his head with an exasperated roll of his eyes, rising up to his feet before summoning up his staff and changing his suit with a snap of his fingers to stand in what he designated as his apprentice outfit. Did he _have_ to change his ghost suit in that very moment? No, he did not, but he always had a flair for the dramatic. It honestly looked like something ripped straight from an anime (probably because it _was),_ but imbued with Danny’s own personal touch; along with his usual black and white color scheme, there were now splashes of hot pink that matched his eyes perfectly. It was no surprise that such an obnoxious color was his favorite, it certainly suited his equally loud personality.

Two taps of the staff on the ground was all it took for the pair of phantoms to disappear in a flash of pink light, instantly teleporting back to Clockwork’s tower. The usual pleasantries were exchanged upon their return, Clockwork commenting that he’d been hoping for _a little_ more time to enjoy his Dan-free break. Danny apologized, but they both knew they couldn’t just leave Dan unattended, and Danny _certainly_ wasn’t about to take the specter with him; he wouldn’t have bothered dropping him off in the first place if he had intended to do so.

With a check of the timepiece on his staff— Danny always had the thing set to Amity Park time, it gave him a reference point to keep track of his town while being so deep in the Ghost Zone so frequently— the halfa deemed it an appropriate time to set out for his date. He summoned up Fenton’s timeline on one of the display portals before taking off, vanishing from the lair. Dan watched him leave, looking even more disgruntled than usual as he stood there with stiffly crossed arms and a sour expression marring his countenance. Self-loathing was taken to a whole new level with him; he _despised_ that Fenton boy that Danny— _his_ Danny— insisted on associating with. Red eyes glowed sharply and fangs glinted in the light of the displays as possessive jealousy seized at his core.

————————

The date with Fenton had been _awkward._

Danny had shown up at the other’s college dorm to meet with him as planned, finding a secluded place to transform before heading up to his room. While their date was on the more casual side of things, Danny had still made a point to dress nice; a neatly pressed shirt with a sharp looking coat, a nice pair of jeans and his favorite boots. When he had arrived at Fenton’s dorm room, the door swung open to reveal his date looking like a mess. The man’s button-up was rumpled, his hair still the same shaggy disaster it usually was; did this asshole not own a brush? His jeans were wrinkled and gave off the impression that they probably hadn’t been washed in awhile, and his shoes hardly matched the rest of his ensemble; Danny’s inner fashion snob was _reeling_ at the sight before him.

Things had only worsened when Danny had moved in to greet Fenton with a hug, catching a whiff of the faint scent of women’s perfume clinging to his shirt, and a rather _incriminating_ smell wafting over from deeper inside the dorm. Danny had tried not to think too much about it, wanting to just focus on their date. It wasn’t until later that Danny nearly _screamed_ when he had caught sight of a subtle smudge of purple lipstick hiding in plain sight on Fenton’s collar while they walked. Fenton had insisted it was an old stain that he couldn’t seem to get out, but the sheepish laughter and guilty blush, along with the averted gaze and the fact that the lipstick looked _fresh,_ betrayed the man’s statement and had Danny not buying a single word of Fenton’s bullshit. Danny hadn’t pressed him further in that moment, considering they were already running late for their dinner reservations, but he had shot the other male a glare to show that he _knew_ something was amiss.

Their date had only continued on its downhill trajectory the longer they were out. Fenton had seemed distant while they spoke, and to add insult to injury, he had been on his phone texting throughout the entire evening. The damn thing had sat out on the table at dinner, constantly going off and pulling Fenton’s attention away from Danny. The smiles and blushes garnered each time he looked down at his phone were hideous giveaways to the ugly truth, and it had Danny _seething._ It was painfully obvious now that Fenton was yet again involved with his version of Sam— Manson, as Danny had taken to calling her, keeping the nickname in line with how he addressed Fenton and to not confuse her with his own version of Sam back home. The revelation that Fenton had once more gotten back together with Manson had the other halfa’s blood _roiling._ Why couldn’t Fenton and Manson just break up for good already? They had certainly broken up enough times to prove they weren’t a good match for each other… Or were the frequent breakups just a lie Fenton fed him so that he could keep him around as his side piece? And why, Danny wondered, why he himself continued to stick around throughout this entire shitshow? With how Fenton was still tied up with Manson after all this time and seeing her behind Danny’s back, it was clear Fenton had no intention of ever pursuing anything more serious with the other halfa. Why did Danny still bother with him? Was he...afraid of being alone? Of not having someone who would understand him at the same level as an alternate version of himself? Was he grasping at some small shred of hope that _maybe_ Fenton would come to his senses and pick him instead?

...Oh, who was he kidding. There was no chance in hell that Fenton would _ever_ pick him. It made sense he would stick to Manson, she belonged to Fenton’s timeline, was much more readily available. Danny, on the other hand, was an outsider. It was foolish to believe that Fenton would pin his love life on someone who wasn’t around enough, on someone who didn’t _belong._ What even _were_ they, Danny wondered, how did _Fenton_ perceive their current relationship? He recalled the first time he had gone to visit Fenton after many years of not being able to see him, having just mastered his abilities to hop through other timelines— recalled the first thing Fenton had _said_ to him upon his arrival—

_“I’d say I’m flattered about this visit, but having my— ex? Friend? —Or_ **_whatever_ ** _we were, showing up out of the blue with no explanation after ten years? What the actual_ **_fuck,_ ** _dude...”_

There had been such hatred in his words, bearing anger over something that for the longest time had been out of Danny’s control, and Danny was hurt; he didn’t understand why Fenton was so upset— they hadn’t ended on a bad note the last time they had seen each other as teens, why the anger instead of relief? Why did Fenton assume a breakup when their timelines had separated from the merge that had initially brought them together? Why didn’t _Fenton_ ever come looking for him to find out what had happened? Did he not care enough? Danny had discovered their timelines had split after a chat with Clockwork, but apparently Fenton hadn’t gotten the memo, considering the cold reception upon their reunion.

Back to the question at hand, how did Fenton perceive their relationship? Things had patched up after the bitter introduction, but their dynamic still felt off. Danny had chalked it up to them having matured and changed while being apart for so long, and that Fenton was under a lot of pressure with the workload for his degree program; they’d just have to regain their bearings, he thought. They’d be back to their version of normal in due time. 

So why, then, did this date feel so... _detached?_

The slapdash nature of a hastily put together wardrobe, the gratuitous indulgence of frequent texting, the much too casual air about him for someone who was supposedly on a romantic date with a partner… Did Fenton only view him as just a friend now? A friend with benefits? Or was this— and all the other times they had gone out since reconnecting— just a _pity_ date? Did Fenton feel sorry for him, the boy who traversed time because he had no one? Danny had felt his insides twist at the notion.

These thoughts had plagued Danny throughout the duration of their meal, and Fenton had clearly been too distracted with his phone to even notice his companion’s internal crisis. The _wrongness_ of the scenario persisted after dinner had come to an end, Fenton _still_ texting and only half-paying attention to Danny as they strolled through town. Fenton’s plan for their outing had entailed a walk around the block before heading to a late movie, but with the way the evening had been playing out, Danny couldn’t bear to stay around him for a moment longer, much less make it through an entire movie with him. He was sick of the deception, sick of the _unknown,_ and it appeared Fenton was content to keep stringing him along, the man making no effort to address the massive elephant in the room that Danny had become uncomfortably aware of. Danny had so badly wanted to end things with him right then and there, to tear him a new one and give him a piece of his mind. How _dare_ Fenton play him so easily, like a goddamn _fiddle—_ His temper was flaring and he was sure his eyes had shifted a few times from their usual electric blue to a venomous pink when Fenton’s gaze glued itself to his phone for the umpteenth time that night, but when he was ready to finally rip off the bandaid and put and end to the madness...he couldn’t find the words. He couldn’t find the _courage_ to confront Fenton. Had they still been teenagers, Danny would’ve had no problem flying off the handle at the drop of a hat, to yell and scream at the other boy and threaten bodily harm— hell, he probably _would_ have gotten a few licks in— but having spent the last decade growing and maturing, gaining new perspective on things, it seemed to quell some of his more violently inclined impulses in social situations. That, or perhaps he was still too scared to let go of the man he never truly had a hold of in the first place. It was foolish to still cling to him after everything that had led up to this moment; he deserved better, he _knew_ he did. The signs all pointed to Danny and Fenton being destined to fail as a couple, and yet some stubborn part of Danny refused to acknowledge the truth, to accept the fact that they were never meant to be.

Unwilling to remain in Fenton’s presence any longer, but being too much of a coward to break things off, Danny had cobbled together an excuse on the fly, pretending he was tired. “All those long nights at Clockwork’s must be catching up to me”, he had said, faking a yawn and rubbing at his eye for good measure. All he had received in return was a much too casual, “I’m sorry, hope you feel better soon.” 

Bastard. The _audacity_ of this man...

Fenton hadn’t seemed all that concerned that their outing was ending prematurely, nor had he offered to meet up again some other time. The response was all Danny had needed to get the fuck out of Dodge and not look back— it hurt, everything _hurt—_ He had pushed past Fenton and ducked into an alleyway to transform, summoning his staff and vanishing from the timeline.

Upon Danny’s return to Clockwork’s tower, a sudden wave of exhaustion blanketed with sadness fell over him; he was mentally drained, having too much to sort through in regards to his relationship with Fenton that he didn’t feel like tackling right away. He was ready to just shut off his brain for a while…

“How did your date go?” Clockwork inquired, idly adjusting the knobs on his own staff. While he wasn’t all that invested in his apprentice’s tumultuous love life, he was still polite enough to ask, and either offer advice or a shoulder to cry on if need be.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” was Danny’s weary response. “Where’s Dan?” He couldn’t help noticing the distinct lack of Dan’s chaotic pestering that normally befell the both of them.

“Upstairs.” Clockwork pointed upward towards the miniature lair Danny had ended up attaching to the ancient ghost’s tower throughout the duration of his training. Dan seemed to like hunkering down up there whenever he wasn’t actively bothering the other two ghosts.

Danny gave a nod, leaving the Master of Time to his business as he floated over towards the spiral staircase leading up to his quarters, following them up in a lethargic ascension. Upon reaching the top, Danny pushed open the door and slipped inside, an aura of melancholy surrounding him. His miniature lair could be accurately described as an apartment setup; there was a small kitchen that shared space with the combined dining and living area, and a bedroom and bathroom were tucked around the corner down a short hallway. It was very human compared to the larger lair it was attached to, befitting of a halfa who still resided in the land of the living.

Dan was spotted on the couch, camped out in sweatpants and a loose t-shirt in front of the large display screen that acted as Danny’s television. The display could bring up timelines to watch as if they were simply TV shows, or intercept television signals from the living realm. Whatever was droning on the screen, Dan had ceased paying attention as soon as Danny had entered the room.

Sighing dejectedly, Danny vanished his staff away and with a snap of his fingers, swapped his attire to mirror the other ghost’s. Bare feet touched down on the floor, trudging across the carpeted surface as heavy hands undid the knot of the black headband still tied in the younger phantom’s hair, letting it fall to the floor with a careless _thunk._ Danny wordlessly slid into place beside Dan on the double wide chaise lounge portion of the sectional couch, sinking back heavily against the pillows. He braced himself for some snarky remark from the older ghost, it was the norm for them to tease and poke fun at each other’s expense, but the snappy quips never came. Instead, Dan silently drew Danny into his arms, tossing the blanket he had been using over both of their legs before settling them both back down into the multitude of pillows cushioning the back of the couch. Danny was tucked up against Dan’s chest, the older ghost wrapping an arm around the halfa’s back while resting a hand upon his hip. Danny didn’t think twice about their arrangement; it had become a typical thing for them to curl up together in such a manner, given how often they had goaded and antagonized each other into physical contact. They had eventually slipped into a strange sort of camaraderie and cuddling became second nature to them.

“I take it things didn’t go well,” came Dan’s soft statement, lacking the usual haughty sarcasm and was instead sympathetic; while it still vaguely carried an edge of _‘I told you so’,_ Danny was thankful for the reprieve from full blown teasing.

“No,” was the halfa’s quiet reply. He wasn’t in the mood to beat around the bush and play games like usual, he just wanted to relax and not think for awhile…

“Told you he was a scumbag.” And there it was, the _‘I told you so’._ What caught Danny off-guard though was the protectiveness that had seeped into the declaration. It wasn’t often that Dan was this level of gentle and caring with him— the man practically thrived on annoying him on the daily, but it seemed to be occurring more and more frequently lately. It left Danny to think; was Dan legitimately starting to care for him? _Love_ him, perhaps? It was hard to tell most times since the basis of their flirting banter was antagonistic, meant to push each other’s buttons and get a rise out of the other for the sake of a few laughs. Flinging around snarky affection was how they played, but Danny had started to notice the sincerity slipping in through the cracks, tentatively edging its way into their dynamic and attempting to pull them together as something else, as something _more._ Did Danny dare believe that this was fate’s way of telling him to finally ditch Fenton? That Dan was the one who was meant for him?

“Just shut up, Dan…” was all the halfa could manage to say, his tone not so much angry as it was just _tired._ While he didn’t feel like arguing, he wasn’t about to stroke Dan’s ego either about him being right. The larger ghost had thankfully taken the hint, lapsing into silence while Danny returned to brooding, the display screen continuing to drone on with whatever programming it was left to play, neither ghost paying it any mind.

Dan could feel the exhausted tension rolling off of Danny in waves as the smaller phantom continued to stew in his own thoughts. The hand he had left resting on Danny’s hip began to caress it gently, fingers dipping under fabric and seeking skin, hoping to soothe the other ghost’s turmoil with a tender touch. What had caught Danny by surprise was when lips soon fell upon his face, littering affection from his cheek up to his temple in just a few brief kisses. Magenta eyes lifted to meet red, and Danny did the only thing he could think to do in that moment.

He started to cry.

Tears streaked silently down the younger phantom’s cheeks while he hid his face in Dan’s chest, trembling and clinging to him tightly as he finally broke. It made Dan’s core ache witnessing Danny so upset, so emotionally raw and _vulnerable._ The thrum of his core strengthened, buzzing harder in his chest and reaching for the other’s to envelop it, to comfort it and never let go, to protect it and wish death upon the one who dared to harm it. Danny sunk further against Dan as he sobbed quietly, feeling the vibrations of the other ghost’s core beneath his skin and allowing it to pull him in, to soothe him. The hand caressing the halfa’s hip had yet to cease in the slightest.

Feeling Danny’s emotions pour forth only served to heighten Dan’s own, the larger specter pulling his companion in even tighter as feelings of possessiveness and protectiveness came to a head, his new obsession fully taking root. _Danny_ was his obsession now, there was no use delaying it any longer. Danny was _his._ **_His_ ** _Danny._ How _dare_ that Fenton brat toy with his feelings, he was a dead man if Dan ever saw him near Danny— **_HIS Danny_ ** _—_ ever again.

Dan was practically growling as he hung on to the distraught halfa still clinging desperately to him, pressing firm kisses to his head wherever he could reach. The hand on Danny’s hip finally slipped away in favor of grasping the halfa’s chin to tilt his head up, sharp red hues meeting watery magenta ones shimmering with tears.

_“You are_ **_MINE,_ ** _Danny,”_ came Dan’s low, guttural growl, possessiveness dripping from his every word. _“Mine and no one else’s.”_

Dan smashed his lips against Danny’s in a searing, bruising kiss. Danny was **_his;_ ** he would protect him, care for him and love him for the rest of eternity. Danny was his new obsession. Danny was his _everything._

The halfa yelped from the ferocity of the kiss, but did nothing to refuse the other ghost. Danny gave in, tugging at Dan’s shirt with a vice grip as he reciprocated, tears still streaming down his face while his core hummed intensely, vibrating in unison with Dan’s. He felt _wanted._ **_Loved._** His entanglement with Fenton left him blind to Dan standing right in front of him. Beneath the petty bantering, they were actually quite compatible; they could laugh together and enjoy each other’s company— despite Dan making it his daily mission to be the biggest nuisance ever for the sake of attention, and tease each other relentlessly without either of them walking away genuinely hurt (emotionally at least, physically was an entirely different story). The fact that one of the biggest threats to time itself, the ultimate enemy, became Danny fucking Phantom’s personal cuddle buddy spoke volumes on its own. Man, he was such an _idiot_ for not seeing it sooner... Gone now are his days of being a side fling afterthought to a boy who wouldn’t commit to giving him his world— he _refused_ to go back to that. Now Dan was here, Dan was his partner, his protector. His _everything._ He didn’t have to fear being alone anymore, didn’t have to be afraid of not having someone who understood him at the level he craved.

The pair of phantoms remained entangled with each other for quite some time, solidifying their newfound sense of belonging. They were a sprawl of limbs, a clashing of lips and tongues and teeth. Danny’s tears had dried, Dan wiping away any lingering strays with his thumb when they finally had the sense to pull away. They were breathless despite not needing to breathe, a euphoria lighting up their cores and making them sing in harmony.

They stared into each other’s eyes for a long while, simply taking in the other’s presence in their new role in each other’s afterlives while exchanging small caresses. The comfortable silence was first broken by Danny. “ So… You...wanna watch a movie or something?” His inquiry was tentative, a titter to his voice as if he were back to being a young school boy asking his crush out for the first time.

Dan smiled at his new partner; it was the softest, warmest, most _genuine_ smile Danny had _ever_ witnessed from him. It lit up his features, giving him a special sort of glow that the halfa found absolutely captivating. He wanted to see Dan smile like that more often, the sight made his core stutter pleasantly.

“Of course,” Dan replied, that soft smile of his melting into a more familiar playfulness at his next words. “After all, you still owe me for earlier~”

Danny couldn’t restrain the hearty chuckle that escaped him, his own smile stretching broadly. “I _did_ promise you, didn’t I? Sorry for not having the ice cream, though.”

Dan barked out a laugh of his own, “That’s alright, I already have something just as sweet~” He readjusted his position and pulled Danny close, giving him an affectionate nuzzle followed by a soft kiss to the cheek.

“Fucking sap,” Danny teased, half-heartedly smacking the other ghost’s shoulder while a flush dusted his features, the both of them giggling softly while they got themselves cozy. After settling in, Danny got to work setting up a movie while Dan’s hand returned to the halfa’s hip, stroking it idly and content to remain there.

Barely even a few minutes into the film, Dan turned to Danny, “So, when do I get to come home with you and meet the family?” He smirked at the other ghost, waggling his eyebrows playfully.

_“Oh my god—”_ Danny’s face lit up with a blush, hiding behind a hand from embarrassment as he failed to stifle a laugh. “Maybe when you learn how to fucking behave, I’ll bring you over.”

Dan stuck his tongue out at him childishly. “You’re no fun,” he jested in return. The pair chuckled lightly before returning their gazes to the screen, but both of them would be lying if they said the movie was the only thing they were focused on.

**FIN**


End file.
